Planterary annihilation

So I believe since Bane has this, I have this and Ice Vamp has this + I think erk plans to get it eventually, this game deserves his own topic.

It's the next generation of, and a spiritual successor to Total annihilation, but on spherical maps, multiple planets with orbital (not space) battles, stargates, interplanetary nukes and ASTEROID SMASHING! Yes it's in you can build engines on small moons/asteroids and hurl them into planets. The game is in late beta with no set release date and they have just added in the first batch of new units and made the first balance patch.

What the future holds in more balance changes, more units, gas giants, streamlining, more flashy stuff, asteroid moving, unit cannon, more nuke types, replacing the current synthetic music with real choir and orchestra one, performance updates, LAN support, modding support, UI update and much much more.

The way the game itself plays is pretty much like total annihilation/supreme commander/zero-k. You and your opponent start the game with just a commander (currently it just appears, when the game is it will actually land) You then proceed to build resource generating structures and unit producing ones. The object is the defeat the enemy commander. There are 2 techs: Basic and advanced, with the first one being more bread and butter, spammy one and the advanced one being for upgrade/specialisation. The battle itself takes over 4 elements: Air, water, land and orbital, as well as on other planets, with the longest games I've heard of lasting up to 6 hours (well that was an extreme, but yea 1-2 hours is standard for team games and about 30-45 minutes for 1v1's).

For now I've been playing with realm, which is the biggest PA clan currently in existence, But I'd like to play with you guys.

EDIT:

For people that actually get this game should get the following UI mods:

1. Install PA mod manager
2. Use the mod manager to download the following mods (they are pretty much a must have):
- Better System view (Shows number of mex, Currently broken)
- Commander HUD (Shows your commander HP NEEDS 2 other mods that are basically a framework for it, but they don't change anything in the game, currently it breaks the game.)
- PA stats (allows you to review your stats after game)
- Eco manager (allows you power off structures without actually searching for them so if you are stalling on power you just press a button and something goes off)
- Missile command (Needs floating flame mod and alert manager mods, but it gives you a drop down menu for all the nukes you own and an option tout send them out in a cascade without requiring you to manually select each different nuke launcher)
- No blackscreens (some mods cause blackscreens, this mod fixes 95% of that).
- Return to server browser (it returns you to server browser when you fail to connect to a game, rather then the main menu)
- Reconnect button (PA sometimes reconnects you to a wrong game, this gives you a button that allows you to try again)
- Include KO deferred (Makes the game infinite times more responsive)

The following mods are useful, but aren't game changing:

- Planet preview details (expands on the data available on planet before you launch)
- Modbatch (allows you to queue up stuff by 100 instead of 5)
- Hotbuild2 (allows you to hotkey stuff, I find these hotkeys better then the default.)
- Auto factory (automatically queses up your idling factories if you are floating eco)
- Advanced unit selection (allows you to frag a box over all your units than use a hotkey to specifically select flying/orbital/land/naval units form that group)
- Fabulous selection (adds a different background for commanders and fabbers so you instantly see if you have selected any of these with your army).
- System sharing (a must have for tourneys, otherwise it's nice as you can play with other players solar systems).
- Transparent strategic icons (Basically just better and always up to date strategic icons mod, and it also prioritizes the important icons over unimportant ones)

Honestly been playing this with Zwei, and its alot of fun. Its still quite expensive, but its worth saving up for even at this early access stage. Had some very memorable RTS battles, and can't wait for the next patch.

So yesterday me and Bane were playing in a 2v2v2v2 on a 1 planet, 4 moon system. After escaping the main planet our base got rolled by a huge blob of T2 Bots, but we still managed to hold on a little. We also fully populated one of the moons we had. Then it happened. Team blue smashed one of the smaller moons onto the main planet. But that didn't affect us as we already moved the bulk of our economy to the moon. Shortly after that there was a brief battle for the main planet which we won, but they managed to nuke our stargate there. With that they had thought that we were trapped on our moon so they proceed to planet smash that moon, they also thought they had shot down one of our commanders before we landed on the main planet to recolonise it. Little did they know that they didn't and that the surviving commander rebuild the stargate on the main planet. Mass evacuation of the moon ensued, we managed to save 75% of our T2 bots and 75% of our t2 fabber, but the most glorious thing is, our second commander escaped through the stargate literally 3 seconds before impact. He was the last thing that made it through the stargate before the moon was lost. With that we won as the enemy didn't bother to evacuate their commander form the moon that was about to smash our moon (since the thought the game would end in a draw anyway). I just wish I could have seen their face when they realised that we managed to save both commanders.

It was people. Excuse Zweis wooden pc being unable to render game effects, but literally the commander JUST walked in the gate and teleported before we lost the whole moon.

Funny thing is, that moon was the only base the enemy had left. They thought they wold end the game in mutual destruction, as like zwei said, they thought we had been locked down and panic attacked with their moon to claim a cheap victory.

All they did was plow their only remaining base into our moon, winning us the match in glorious fashion, as the majority of our economy did a runner.

Stargates in the game, as long as you have power, can teleport vast quantities of units. The power use is relatively minimal, and doesnt depend on what you are sending through. Just whether its on or not.

In the future we will probably have a game mode where you really have to annihilate everything in order to win (much like in Sup Com), but those games modes tend to drag on forever if your base is spread out (and even longer if it's spread out over several planets).

Wha they should do is be able to make back up Commanders like in Supcom, make as many as your economy an handle, yeah its a bit cheese but keep it the same as all commanders dead = you loose, but that way you can have a number in reserve only the secondary ones are not as good as the original.

The game needs a greater variation in units though and factions, that will make it more interesting.

There will be factions, mostly in fluff. Reasoned thus: Advanced robot war machines, they all use the best shit. No one is going to use an inferior unit, when they has the technology to match their enemy.

Also, only one commander works pretty well. If you play as a team, you have as many commanders as you have team members. If solo, you have the one.

unless that inferior unit is half the strength but 1/4th the cost...then for the price of 1 better machine you could buy 4 inferior machines that are 50% more POWAH...it also spreads your hitpoints out further thus reducing incoming damage potential...

but quantity has a quality all its own

I don't own the game but if resources are involved...

2000 shitty machines made from crummy iron are better than 0 super weapons grade aluminum rape monsters....meaning it might be preferential to make a bunch of crap to overwhelm an opponent if you are limited to a single resource but have plenty of that resource

how long does a match take roughly?

"SORRY, I couldn't hear you over the sound of my tits! what were you saying?"

QuoteYalk
2000 shitty machines made from crummy iron are better than 0 super weapons grade aluminum rape monsters....meaning it might be preferential to make a bunch of crap to overwhelm an opponent if you are limited to a single resource but have plenty of that resource

And that is why T1 keeps it's significance in the game and you can't win by a T2 ruch. Yes you have 50 slammers, but I have 300 doxes. you lose.

QuoteYalk
2000 shitty machines made from crummy iron are better than 0 super weapons grade aluminum rape monsters....meaning it might be preferential to make a bunch of crap to overwhelm an opponent if you are limited to a single resource but have plenty of that resource

And that is why T1 keeps it's significance in the game and you can't win by a T2 ruch. Yes you have 50 slammers, but I have 300 doxes. you lose.

I assume you just agreed with me

"SORRY, I couldn't hear you over the sound of my tits! what were you saying?"

In your example Yalk, the opponent would then make the same unit, cancelling out your 50% powah/cost advantage. Which is their reasoning. Maybe they'll add something special down the line. But I buy it thus far.

There was a patch today and performance has increased. But pretty much everyones pc cries with this game, because most of the FX are still rendered on the CPU. The other thing is try to not use the steam version or if you really want to, disable the steam overlay and drop the graphics settings.

QuoteZweistein000
Let the bodies of our enemies be ready. As soon as they fix the planet pregeneration and the excessively long loading times, it is time to annihilate.

Lol. "excessive loading times"

Also, how the fuck can you spell excessive? You can't even spell "spell" in the RP! :p

I can mostly spell. I just can't type so If I wanted to type everything right in the RP Stephans responses would come 2-3 minutes after the topic of conversation. I have a choice: either type like theis and have a buncgh of typoks or type slowly, do it right and have a response come way too late.

I personally like your mistypes as stephan, to me he has a speech impediment and that's just how he talks...also, its much preferred to having to respond to something talked about 10 minutes ago

I have to take time to type due to Dierson being trueborn and talk proper speak

On PA : I played a couple games solo against the AI, the game took forever to load and then it sorta chugged I'll admit for the first 10? minutes or so, but then got better and better till toward the end it was seemless...was running a system with 4 planets each with 3 or more moons....

Was fun, hard though...enjoyed it

"SORRY, I couldn't hear you over the sound of my tits! what were you saying?"

Dafaq.. usually it starts seamless until it get slower and chunkier. After 45 minutes it's usually a slide show. I can play in 45 minutes if you want, but I have 4 and a half hours before I have to go to bed at this point.

Are the only units that can be spess the transporter and the space fighters? Can nukes fly between planets?

The interplanetary part is the intriguing bit to me, its fairly unique....especially since its not the "herr, space is flat and its like building ships"...it has a very "we can spess but just good enough to get to another planet....and maybe attach some guns on a satellite..."

"SORRY, I couldn't hear you over the sound of my tits! what were you saying?"

Spess is like this: Nukes can only hit parent bodies (moon -> planet), sister bodies (moon->moon, but not planet ->planet) and child bodies (Planet-> moon)
The spess you saw was only T1 spess. That is build from the launcher: it has a ghetto radar sat, a transport, a fighter and an orbital fabber.
an orbital fabber is basically T2 spess. It builds advanced radar sat, the mobile defence sat, the mobile power sat, the orbital laser sat (for orbital bombardment) and a stargate (ground one, there is no spess stargate).

Now the orbital laser sets absolutely rape fighters, but they are slow as fuck. The ghetto radar sat is ghetto, not exactly worth it. The orbital power is nice if you have orbital control because it's immune to nukes (for now, we are expecting more different nukes in the future, including the ones that will target orbital units and be able to intercept units in transfer). The orbital transport is good for orbital drops of you can't get a stargate in or if your comm has to GTFO fast, but otherwise it's inferior and less safer than stargate. T2 radar sat is OP, gives huge vision + radar. The fighters are only good for interception and the fact that they can be spammed, but once you got to spamm defense sats, fighters are pretty much useless.

So, From playing with you guys and contemplating my difficulties with the game...

...most of the strategy games I've come from place FAAAAAR more importance on the units you create...i.e. that infantry guy, that tank...those are important, you can sacrifice them yes, but it needs to be for a good reason. Thus, those units are expensive, and take time to build etc. ...they also live longer, even if they don't kill that building, or win that engagement, the battle lasts a fair amount of time, if the battle doesn't last long then you know your truely fucked....this means, deciding what to build is important, when to send them, where...and once you make those decisions you have the time to micro manage the battle somewhat, retreat, advance, flank...you can watch the battle and judge if you should be building more tanks or infrantry, do some more micro and feel confident in "going back to base" to build some more units etc, or send more guys to the fight...there is a definite "front line" that you can maintain.....

Here though, here no unit is important except your commander...GROUPS of units are important, those 50 advance fabbers, those 150 bombers etc...those groups are important, but individual units are almost inconsequential....its completely different from any RT or TB strat game I've played...you send an army and they either live or die horribly...managing them is almost pointless, its more important to keep building and sending than worrying about the units that are basically walking dead....its a completely different flow to battle

I think for now I'm going to concentrate on T1 and T2 bots....they are easily spammed, build quick etc....

That's the other completely different thing....there is no [worker]>(Barracks)>[worker]>(Research)>[Tank factory] etc etc

Each "Doctrine" is self contained...you don't need bots before you can build air...or without the basic fabber bot you can't build other structures..or the advanced bot factory...doesn't matter...if you just want air you build air, then air fabbers then the advance air factory...you can get everything you need from one line, instead of needing bot factories just for the builders and air for just fighters and bombers and the tank factory just for anti air and tanks....Since the game is all about having more than your enemy you just build anti air bots and land bots and fabber bots and push his tank loving shit in....

It's an interesting game, the mechanics are different than most RTS'....

I do think sharing an army is the way to go, its just strange....picking different commanders is important, I also think picking "jobs" and units is important...

I think it would also help having semi designated factories to produce fabber bots/tanks/air...those are the ones that cause me to mentally melt down...setting like 4 bot factories to continuously churn out T1 fabber bots seems like a good idea, that way if you need something built and don't have the units there is a designated spot to grab units from...if there are 50 unused units sitting in front of those factories they are fair game....it was annoying having my commander or workers redirected constantly...there is too much going on to keep track of everything i know but some guidelines are needed....like the above, if its a T1 bot fabber at the T1 bot fabber factories take them, if its a group off by some generators waiting to be used, LEAVE THEM THE FUCK ALONE, please....warrior bots/tanks/planes I could care less about, throw them at the enemy, but the fabbers...they are hard enough to keep track of without them getting taking constantly....

...or better yet, if we designated commanders to bots/air/tanks then just ask the appropriate person to build what you want/think they should build....hey, Yalk, tell that group of 100 T2 fabbers to build some advanced generators (ok, can do) instead of just grabbing them....

ok, lunch time,

/rant off

its a fun game none the less, just wrapping my head around it

"SORRY, I couldn't hear you over the sound of my tits! what were you saying?"

QuoteYalk
So, From playing with you guys and contemplating my difficulties with the game...

...most of the strategy games I've come from place FAAAAAR more importance on the units you create...i.e. that infantry guy, that tank...those are important, you can sacrifice them yes, but it needs to be for a good reason. Thus, those units are expensive, and take time to build etc. ...they also live longer, even if they don't kill that building, or win that engagement, the battle lasts a fair amount of time, if the battle doesn't last long then you know your truely fucked....this means, deciding what to build is important, when to send them, where...and once you make those decisions you have the time to micro manage the battle somewhat, retreat, advance, flank...you can watch the battle and judge if you should be building more tanks or infrantry, do some more micro and feel confident in "going back to base" to build some more units etc, or send more guys to the fight...there is a definite "front line" that you can maintain.....

Here though, here no unit is important except your commander...GROUPS of units are important, those 50 advance fabbers, those 150 bombers etc...those groups are important, but individual units are almost inconsequential....its completely different from any RT or TB strat game I've played...you send an army and they either live or die horribly...managing them is almost pointless, its more important to keep building and sending than worrying about the units that are basically walking dead....its a completely different flow to battle

Yes. Now unit composition is also important. Sending 50 vanguards may seem like the wall of death, but then the enemy can just send their army and micro a bit and you vangard will be chasing them like dogs chase cars. Now it may seem that managing units is unimportant, but that's not the case. An example: bots that are micromanaged correctly evande 30-50% of enemy shots. Micromanaged t1 tank will be able to kill infinite vanguards in theory. But the good point is that this isn't starcraft. You cont need to micromanage every single unit and you cant wing large engagements with micromanagement only. It is a huge help and a microed army will inflict more damage than unmicroed one, while taking less damage itself, but if the enemy out smarted you then your skill with units will only take you so far.

QuoteYalk

I think for now I'm going to concentrate on T1 and T2 bots....they are easily spammed, build quick etc....

Bots are smaller, cheaper and faster. They are great raiders, but they also do less damage, die faster and have lesser range. The end tradeoff is that bots if micromanaged correctly are better than tanks (but not stronger), but tanks are a lot better for full on frontal assaults. Bots should be used for raiding (taking down enemy mex points or power generators, stopping enemy expansion and assisting tanks) nut if you see a deathball of tanks moving towards your base, then you better prepare some defenses because your pure bot army wont be able to cost effectively stop them.

QuoteYalk
That's the other completely different thing....there is no [worker]>(Barracks)>[worker]>(Research)>[Tank factory] etc etc

Each "Doctrine" is self contained...you don't need bots before you can build air...or without the basic fabber bot you can't build other structures..or the advanced bot factory...doesn't matter...if you just want air you build air, then air fabbers then the advance air factory...you can get everything you need from one line, instead of needing bot factories just for the builders and air for just fighters and bombers and the tank factory just for anti air and tanks....Since the game is all about having more than your enemy you just build anti air bots and land bots and fabber bots and push his tank loving shit in....

That is true but the game will punish you if you decide to forgo one doctrine entirely. Ground based anti-air will only get oyu so far before the huge amount of enemy t2 air starts completely wiping your armies. Bots will so jack shit against a well defended base. Tanks will be hard pressed to defend your outlying outpost or to raid your enemy. Air fabbers and bombers are quick and good at what they do, but fighters are quicker and can one shot everything. Also T2 mobile anti air is planned, but again if you're not fighting for air you are forgoing the huge maneuverability advantage you get by air. Orbital is also important. If you forget that then don't wander how can an enemy support 20 factories form 10 mex points, or how your stuff is spontaneously exploding, or how enemy units are spawning tn your base,or why is it raining nukes or why is that moon getting bigger.

QuoteYalk

It's an interesting game, the mechanics are different than most RTS'....
I do think sharing an army is the way to go, its just strange....picking different commanders is important, I also think picking "jobs" and units is important...

I think it would also help having semi designated factories to produce fabber bots/tanks/air...those are the ones that cause me to mentally melt down...setting like 4 bot factories to continuously churn out T1 fabber bots seems like a good idea, that way if you need something built and don't have the units there is a designated spot to grab units from...if there are 50 unused units sitting in front of those factories they are fair game....it was annoying having my commander or workers redirected constantly...there is too much going on to keep track of everything i know but some guidelines are needed....like the above, if its a T1 bot fabber at the T1 bot fabber factories take them, if its a group off by some generators waiting to be used, LEAVE THEM THE FUCK ALONE, please....warrior bots/tanks/planes I could care less about, throw them at the enemy, but the fabbers...they are hard enough to keep track of without them getting taking constantly....

Yes that is how shared armies team games work. With just alliances it's harder and everyone must concentrate on everything and while you can set up roles in alliance mode it is usually a lot more difficult in alliances (as you saw yesterday when I was getting triple comm rushed, I only had what I had and when I called for help I could only hope you guys would respond in time and correctly to save me). Also I usually find 1 bot factory producing fabbers to be enough for everything, since t1 fabbers are the most efficient. You only need to build about 10 of the other builders to have everything covered and you still probably won't be using 100% of the bot fabbers that factory will produce

QuoteYalk.

...or better yet, if we designated commanders to bots/air/tanks then just ask the appropriate person to build what you want/think they should build....hey, Yalk, tell that group of 100 T2 fabbers to build some advanced generators (ok, can do) instead of just grabbing them....

ok, lunch time,

/rant off

its a fun game none the less, just wrapping my head around it

In that case we might as well be playing alliances. In team army mode you do what is needed. If player 1 built only bot factors that's fine, but you don't need to bother him for something you can do yourself. You just tell him what you are doing (like I'm gonna grab those idle fabbers of yours and build some advanced power), this way you can maximise the efficiency of your team. I allows you to spread the work of everything to individuals, but it requires that everyone works as one otherwise chaos ensues.